CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 10: Harrison Barnes #40 of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 10, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes has become a hot commodity as free agency approaches and the Philadelphia 76ers are first in line to land the 6-foot-8 swingman.
ESPN’s Marc Stein and Marc J. Spears are reporting sources close to the Philadelphia franchise are saying that Barnes is rising on a list of potential targets for the Sixers, who won only 10 games last season, but hold the cards to the future with lottery picks Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and now 2016 No. 1 draft pick, Ben Simmons.
Philadelphia learned first-hand what Barnes is capable of on the offensive end when he drilled a corner 3 with two tenths of a second remaining to beat the Sixers 108-105 back on Jan. 30.
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Barnes is a restricted free agent, meaning the Warriors have an opportunity to match an offer sheet presented to the former Tar Heel. But if things go as planned in the Bay area, Golden State won’t have room on the roster for the 24-year-old.
The Dubs have said they were going “all-in” on an effort to sign the offseason’s most coveted free agent of all, Kevin Durant.
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Durant has drawn interest from nearly every contender in the league, and some that are hoping to compete in the playoffs in 2017.
The New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Durant’s current team, the Oklahoma City Thunder are all in the mix for the 7-time All-Star, with several others soon to follow.
Barnes averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in his third season, numbers that could be amplified if the athletic forward were permitted more touches on the offensive end.
If the Sixers present Barnes with a max offer, it would be in the neighborhood of $90 million over four years, though Philadelphia is inclined to spend this offseason in order to meet the NBA’s projected salary floor of $80 million.
NBA free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. Friday, with a weeklong, mandatory moratorium between July 1, players can officially ink their new deals beginning July 8.
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